Verizon Wireless has the latest smartphone in
the Droid range up for pre-order. The device is called theMotorola
Droid 3and it is billed as the world's thinnest QWERTY keyboard
smartphone. Thankfully, the Droid 3 runs the latest version of Google’s
smartphone operating system, Android 2.3.

The Droid 3 is also a
global capable smartphone allowing the user to make called and access 3G
data networks in over 200 countries around the world. The smartphone has a
4-inch qHD resolution screen (960 x 540) and a QWERTY keyboard slides out and
has five rows of keys.

The phone will operate on 800/1900 EVDO rev A
networks and GSM networks. The smartphone measures in at 2.5-inches W x
4.9-inches H x 0.5-inches D and weighs 5.9 ounces. The Droid 3 uses a 1540 mAh
Li-Ion battery that promises 550 minutes in use and up to 300 hours on standby.

Motorola gives the Droid 3 16GB of internal
storage and it uses a dual-core 1GHz processor. The smartphone also has
Bluetooth onboard and supports Skype Mobile and has aGPS. The rear camera on
the device is an 8-megapixel camera and has autofocus. The smartphone has a
front facing camera as well. It can also shoot HD resolution video out to your
TV or other screen via HDMI output.

The phone also has Wi-Fi and supports encryption
and enterprise security for use in the business world. Naturally, users can turn
the Droid 3 into a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The phone is up for pre-order on Verizon now for
$199.99 with a new contract and will hit stores on July 14.

quote: Not sure what the issue is anyway since it's not difficult to find a GSM capable Android phone, and the Droid 3 is not such a great phone that one would complain that they can't find a similar GSM model.

I'm in the UK and interested in one of these as it's the only qwerty Android smartphone with current hardware. HTC's Desire Z is a single core Snapdragon and there's still no sign of their Doubleshot slider and while Samsung seem keen on Android and had a few qwerty sliders previously, they don't have any with dual A9's.

My N900 is starting to show its age particularly as Nokia have abandoned it but I don't want to lose the keyboard as the Gingerbread keyboard I use on the Tab is incredibly frustrating.